The Final Piece
by Phantom-writer3739
Summary: For the Make It Count Competition hosted by Bethaboo and THEEDWARDEMMETT: Bella is successful, rich and surrounded by loving family and friends. So why is she so miserable? AH


**AN: Write a story in 1000 words (or less) for a competition. Sounds simple enough doesn't it?**

I looked gloomily in the mirror. I was a twenty five year old with everything. Education, money, a career and loving family and friends.

I'd always had a vivid imagination and a fondness for books. Finding high school inane and a waste of time I had spent the majority of my time reading and writing to escape the tedium. That's not to say I didn't have friends! Quite the contrary, I was shockingly popular when I moved to live with my father in Forks. However my solitary life style lead me to spend hours in my room with my pen and paper. One day my dear friend Angela came across my scribblings and –unbeknownst to me- typed them up and emailed them to publishers across the country in my name.

It was possibly the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me.

She only told me about it after she'd received all their replies and practically forced me to pick a publisher and meet with them. I was shocked by their enthusiasm and after some slight editing my books were all set to be published. Since I was rather prolific they decided to put out a book every six months (I'd written about ten in total at that time) and each book was a literary sensation.

Yeah, I had trouble believing it too.

So pretty soon I was rich, famous and about to enter the hallowed halls of Dartmouth. I continued writing and was set for years.

Still am.

I graduated from Dartmouth, bought a penthouse suite in New York and spent my time between visiting my family in Florida and Forks and going to parties with my college room mate and best friend, designer Mary Alice Brandon. Her flair for fashion and clairvoyance ensured that she was not only months ahead of the competition, she also made a fortune on the stock market.

My other girl friend was, surprisingly enough, Alice's top model; Rosalie 'the Bitch' Hale.

She was aptly named that one. A vain, man eating woman with a penchant for fast cars and a remarkable intellect. We got on shockingly well together.

Just recently I met Alice's future husband and boyfriend of three days, Major Jasper Whitlock. He'd been honourably discharged from the army after being wounded by shrapnel from a car bomb that killed three of his men. He was a charismatic man, dark and brooding at times, but his passion for Alice was obvious and even though he'd only met her three days ago I'd seen him looking over diamond rings at Tiffany's.

Rosalie has been dating a professional footballer called Emmett McCarty for months. A funny guy, even if he was at times rather puerile, who seemed genuinely smitten with Rose. For what it's worth I rather think she's smitten with him too. God knows she's never stayed with any of the others this long.

So why, despite wealth, success, and the love and affection of my family and friends am I sitting dejectedly in my apartment?

Simple. I have no one.

Well, no man that is.

Oh I've dated. I've met loads of good looking guys, smart guys, funny guys, and interesting guys.

I just haven't found a guy who is all of those things. Or someone irresistible.

I'm starting to be afraid that I never will. I'm going to die a virgin.

I sighed and grabbed my purse. It was time to get out of here and see the sun.

***

Staring moodily at the lake was simply impossible. The sun was shining, children were laughing and the ice cream I was eating was yummy. All these things had vastly improved my mood and when this grey ratty little dog came up and started barking at my heels I laughed and bent down to stroke it. When the dog's owner, an equally waifish little boy came up to shyly reclaim his pet I teased him about his pet before I gave him a dollar to buy himself an ice cream. I settled back, still smiling when a voice from beside me commented that he was more of a cat person really.

And oh what a voice it was. Velvety smooth and utterly masculine. I didn't dare look because surely that would shatter the spell that that voice had cast over me. What face could possibly measure up to that voice? I casually told him that "As a child I always wanted a dog but my mother was allergic, my room mate kept a cat and after a time I discovered that I had a fondness for the creatures. They're so independent you know? They don't need humans but they come back all the same. For food, yes, but also for the companionship. Still, I've never gotten over my affection for dogs."

Finally I turned to smile at the stranger and was stunned. Little tweety birds flying around my head stunned.

He was gorgeous. His hair was the most remarkable shade of bronze with glints of red blazing in the sunlight, his amazing emerald gaze met mine and his divine lips were twisted up in a crooked smile. "Edward Masen." He introduced himself.

"Bella Swan." I said with an amazing level of coherency as I took his proffered hand. Instead of shaking it as I had expected he lifted it to his lips and brushed a tender kiss across the back of it. I blushed hotly but didn't pull away. My eyes were still fixed on his flawless ivory skin and his sexy bed hair.

"Are you single?" I asked, shocking myself with my bluntness.

He smiled, not the slightest bit offended. "Only until I get you to be my girlfriend. Then I'll be with you."

My blush intensified as did his grin.

"Let me walk you home." He offered. I took his arm.

We talked as we walked and on the way he bought me an adorable, tiny pet kitten. "Something to remember me by." He said.

_Now_ I had everything.

**AN: Wow. I cut it fine. 1003 words. I cut out a little sentence and now it's 998.**

**Anyway, tell me what you think. That's what the button's for after all. Don't forget to check out Bethaboo and THEEDWARDEMMETT who're hosting the competition. Voting starts on March 22****nd****.**


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